Cuccinelli campaigns for Romney, against Affordable Care Act

One day after the U.S. Supreme Court handed down its decision to uphold President Barack Obama’s Affordable Care Act, Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli was out on the campaign stump for Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney, calling the law "bad policy."

Cuccinelli, who filed a failed challenge to the act and celebrated parts of the high court’s decision Thursday, stressed that the law is harmful to small businesses saying it "reduces their ability to invest in new people, in new ideas and to create growth that can create opportunity."

"This is exactly the opposite of what government needs to be doing right now," Cuccinelli said. "It needs to be encouraging business growth, innovation and job creation by getting out of the way both in the health care market and across our economy."

Cuccinelli was joined by Richmond small-business owner David Napier.

Napier, who owns White House Catering which employs 42 people, said he would like to offer health insurance to his employees, but when he talks with insurance agents they can’t tell him how the new health care rules will affect his company.

"I don’t currently offer health care benefits to my employees," Napier said. "I’ve been shopping for it. I would like to – as they are my friends and family I want them to be taken care of. But the people I’m talking to, the people trying to sell me this stuff, don’t even know what’s in the plan. They can’t give me good direction."

Napier said he thinks Obama is a "nice guy," but the health care law and the state of the economy have left him frustrated and lead him to openly endorse and campaign for a political candidate, in this case Romney, for the first time in his life.

Cuccinelli said examples like Napier are the reason Virginians need to vote for Romney and U.S. Senate candidate George Allen so that Congress can repeal the Affordable Care Act.

"The hope is that we’ll elect people here in Virginia – Sen. George Allen and President Romney – along with other states that will give us enough votes to repeal Obamacare so the economy can get this monkey off its back and get going again," Cuccinelli said.

In response the Obama campaign offered up its own supporter and small business owner who likes the provisions of the law.

Devon Henry, who owns Team Henry Enterprises in Newport News, said he felt "incredible relief" Thursday when the Supreme Court decision upholding the law was announced Thursday.

Henry said he is looking forward to "benefiting" when many of the act’s provisions take effect in 2014.

"I will be able to use the insurance exchange to shop around for an affordable insurance policy that makes sense for my employees and their families – a benefit big companies already enjoy," Henry said. "Mitt Romney says his background in business is why he deserves to be president, so he should know that more choices and greater competition in the healthcare marketplace lowers the cost of insurance for everyone, and helps level the playing field for small businesses like mine. By opposing a common-sense solution like the one President Obama has passed, he is simply taking us back to the partisan battles of the past."

Congressman Rob Wittman on SCOTUS decision to uphold ACA

Congressman Rob Wittman, R-Westmoreland, issued the following response Thursday to the U.S. Supreme Court 5-4 decision to uphold President Barack Obama's Affordable Care Act:

“As this law passed two years ago, my main concerns were that this massive overhaul did not reduce individuals’ health care costs and that it added hundreds of billions to the federal deficit. Today’s ruling did not change those outcomes, and in fact, underscored the law’s added burdens: more taxes for middle class individuals and families and small businesses working to survive in this tough economy. The requirement that all individuals must purchase health insurance or be subject to a tax may have been found constitutional with a 5-4 decision, but it is still unaffordable and unworkable for individuals and this country. I have and will continue to support a repeal of this law and action to replace it with commonsense solutions that lower costs while increasing access to care. I will continue to support limiting the federal government’s reach, to protect the patient-provider relationship, and to advocate for solutions promoting affordability and accessibility of health care.  

“There’s no doubt that our health care system needs reform. Since this law was enacted, folks across Virginia and the First District have seen their health care costs continue to rise. I support preserving access to care for individuals with pre-existing conditions, ensuring children up to the age of 26 can stay on their parent’s plan, directing meaningful medical tort reform that reduces provider insurance rates, expanding insurance pools to bring down costs, and ensuring health care decisions are being made between the patient and the doctor, not by the government or insurance agencies.”

Sen. Warner on SCOTUS decision to uphold ACA

U.S. Sen. Mark Warner issued the following response Thursday to the U.S. Supreme Court 5-4 decision to uphold President Barack Obama's Affordable Care Act:

“I am pleased the Supreme Court has upheld the constitutionality of health reform. 

“I have always felt the Affordable Care Act was weighted more toward the issue of coverage and not enough toward cost containment. 

“I look forward to now moving forward in a bipartisan way on how we can further bring down the costs of health care.  We must focus the health care system more on outcomes than simply on the volume of services provided.”

 

Congressman Scott Rigell on SCOTUS decision to uphold ACA

Congressman Scott Rigell, R-Virginia Beach, issued the following response Thursday to the U.S. Supreme Court 5-4 decision to uphold President Barack Obama's Affordable Care Act:

"Like the underlying legislation that it addresses, today’s 5-4 ruling by the Supreme Court on the constitutionality of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) is lengthy and complex. I will be reviewing the decision thoroughly so I can fully understand the practical implications of the ruling.

A cursory review, however, makes it clear that much of the PPACA has been ruled constitutional. This is deeply disappointing because it sets a legal precedent that greatly expands government’s ability to “mandate” other aspects of American life. For the first time in our history, Americans will be taxed not for what they purchase, but for what they have not purchased. That is wrong, and in my view, unconstitutional.

I have often said the PPACA is misnamed because it does not do what the name implies it will: protect patients and offer them affordable care. Instead, it:

• Hits hard-working Americans and job creators with a mandatory tax disguised as an individual mandate increasing costs and uncertainty for our families and small businesses;
• Imposes $800 billion in additional tax increases on Americans and small businesses;
• Cuts $500 billion from Medicare, putting senior care at risk, while adding to our nation’s $15 trillion debt;
• Creates an Independent Payment Advisory Board of 15 bureaucrats which will restrict health care choices for seniors;
• Infringes on Americans’ religious freedoms.

For these reasons and others, I have and will continue to vote to repeal the PPACA and replace it with legislation that protects the patient-doctor relationship and ultimately ensures that individuals – not the government – maintain control of their health care."

Dean Longo on SCOTUS decision to uphold ACA

Dean Longo, Republican candidate challenging U.S. Rep. Robert C. "Bobby" Scott in the 3rd Congressional District, issued the following response Thursday to the U.S. Supreme Court 5-4 decision to uphold President Barack Obama's Affordable Care Act:

"There’s no question we need to facilitate good health care, not force a broken health-care system on people. There’s no question there are people out there that need health care through no fault of their own. This doesn’t actually fix anything. Whether you want to call it an unconstitutional mandate or you want to call it a tax, in the end it’s not going to fix very much what-so-ever.

"Me, as a business owner for example, I have to be faced with a choice of a $1,200-a-month health-care policy or a $500 tax. Now $500 is still going to be less than $1,200 a month I've got to pay for health care that I can't afford. So I'm going to end up paying $500 more in taxes and not have any more access to health care - so my taxes just went up and I'm not receiving anything. There's a lot of people that are going to be in that position. A lot of small business owners aren't going to be able to access health care anymore than they do now. They're just going to have their taxes raised.

"A lot of people are going to also lose their health care through their companies, because companies are going to say, 'This is too much for us; this is too expensive now. We're just going to handle our own health care.' So now if I'm working for a large company that doesn't want to pay for that I'm going to have to foot the bill for those health-care costs.

"What it's going to end up doing is push more and more people on to that government program. Then the costs for the government are going to sky rocket. It's going to get to a point where it's unaffordable and the health care benefits people are receiving are going to go down.And we've ended up, in the big picture, with an unaffordable health-care system where everybody's now reliant on it, but nobody's going to be able to access it.

"We need health-care reform, not forcing people on to a broken health-care system. It's a political battle now."

Lt. Gov. Bolling on SCOTUS decision to uphold ACA

Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling issued the following response Thursday to the U.S. Supreme Court 5-4 decision to uphold President Barack Obama's Affordable Care Act:

"I am very disappointed by the Supreme Court’s decision to uphold the constitutionality of Obamacare.  It was my belief that the President and Congress overstepped their constitutional authority in requiring American citizens to purchase a product like health insurance, and I am disappointed that the Supreme Court reached a different conclusion.  However, the court’s decision does not change the fact that Obamacare is bad policy.  Obamacare is too costly and we cannot afford it.  In addition, Obamacare increases the cost of doing business and makes it harder for American businesses to hire workers.  Finally, Obamacare limits American’s health care choices and intrudes on the doctor-patient relationship. 

 

"Now, it is up to the American people to stop Obamacare.  We can do that in November by electing Mitt Romney President of the United States, electing George Allen to the United States Senate, and reelecting our Republican majority in the House of Representatives.  President Romney and a Republican Congress will act to repeal Obamacare and replace it with more responsible, market based health care reforms."

Paul Hirschbiel on SCOTUS decision to uphold ACA

Paul Hirschbiel, the Democratic candidate challenging U.. Rep. Scott Rigell in Virginia's 2nd Congressional District, issued the following response Thursday to the U.S. Supreme Court 5-4 decision to uphold President Barack Obama's Affordable Care Act:

"Now that the court has ruled, it's time that we turn our focus to the future.  Too many Virginia families are still struggling to get affordable quality health care and too many American small businesses are being held back by the high cost. We deserve leaders who will work across the aisle to build on reforms that have been made and improve them to ensure health care is more affordable for the middle class and small businesses."

Congressman Randy Forbes on SCOTUS decision to uphold ACA

Congressman J. Randy Forbes, R-Chesapeake, issued the following response Thursday to the U.S. Supreme Court 5-4 decision to uphold President Barack Obama's Affordable Care Act:

“The Court today shattered the myth that it would stand between the overreaching decision of government and the individual liberty of citizens.  Chief Justice Roberts emphasized that the Court would not protect the American people from the bad political decisions of their elected officials.  The Supreme Court decision today is disappointing, but underscores the importance of electing officials who support individual freedoms and a more limited vision of government. The President’s health care law increases costs for employers, leaving some businessmen with the choice between laying off employees or paying the penalty associated with failure to purchase health insurance. This misguided judgment signals that there are no longer any real limitations on what the government can mandate on the citizens of this nation.

We need to repeal provisions that hurt economic and individual choices and preserve areas of common ground, such as making it easier for individuals, including those with pre-existing conditions and young adults under the age of 26, to obtain and keep health insurance by making it portable across state-lines, and allowing those who like their current coverage to keep it. We need to reform the medical liability tort system to reduce professional liability insurance rates and premiums, and reduce the practice of defensive medicine. In addition, we need to direct resources to medical research and clinical trials, including the use of adult stem cells, which show evidence of providing near-term clinical benefit for human patients."

Congressman Forbes was one of a handful of members of Congress who actually attended the announcement inside the Supreme Court of the United States.

Congressman Bobby Scott on SCOTUS decision to uphold ACA

Congressman Robert C. "Bobby" Scott, D-Newport News, issued the following response Thursday to the U.S. Supreme Court 5-4 decision to uphold President Barack Obama's Affordable Care Act:

"I am pleased that today’s U.S. Supreme Court decision leaves intact nearly all of the provisions of the Affordable Care Act, most importantly the "individual mandate."  This law is a milestone towards expanding affordable health coverage to all Americans, regardless of age, income, or preexisting condition.  Young Americans can continue to stay on their parent's polices until they are twenty-six, seniors will not be pushed back into the 'donut-hole', and health insurance companies will not be able to put a lifetime limit on your health coverage. 

"This is a win for Americans across the country.  While the debate over the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act has been divisive, as we begin seeing more of the provisions come into effect, more Americans will realize how important this law is and how it helps them, their families, and their neighbors.

"Due to the Affordable Care Act, 7,200 young adults in my district now have health insurance.  In addition, 6,000 seniors in my district are currently receiving prescription drug discounts worth a total of $3.5 million, an average discount of $580 per senior.  The law banned insurance companies from establishing lifetime coverage limits for 200,000 residents.  These are all forward-thinking and necessary reforms.  The United States currently spends more money on health care than any industrialized nation; it is imperative that we continue to improve the quality of the health care that we provide in this country.

"The legal challenges have focused primarily on the "individual mandate" provision.   During the past 2 years, I have maintained that this "mandate" is in fact simply a tax measure.   This is the same differential that occurs when someone receives a tax credit for having a solar panel – those with a solar panel get a tax credit and pay slightly lower taxes than those without.  This is not a "mandate" to get a solar panel.  The so-called "individual mandate" is the equivalent of not receiving a tax credit for having insurance.  If you carry insurance, you will pay less in taxes.  If you don't have insurance, your tax liability will slightly increase.  Today, the Supreme Court, using the same logic, ruled that this tax measure is constitutional.  If, on the other hand, the Court had ruled it unconstitutional, the same logic would have put Social Security and Medicare in jeopardy.  

 "I will continue to fight efforts to repeal this legislation, which provides access to affordable health coverage not only to those in Virginia's 3rd Congressional District, but to all Americans."

Virginia G.A. Senators on SCOTUS decision to uphold ACA

Repulicans Senators from the General Assembly, including Majority Leader Thomas K. "Tommy" Norment, R-James City County, issued the following responses Thursday to the U.S. Supreme Court 5-4 decision to uphold President Barack Obama's Affordable Care Act:

“The decision of the Supreme Court to uphold the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act is a painful setback for individual liberty and federalism,” remarked Senate Majority Leader Thomas K. Norment, Jr., R-James City County.  “Today’s decision serves as a reminder that essential change must ultimately be achieved through the ballot box.

“The decision increases the importance of Virginia in this year’s elections.  If Virginia votes for Mitt Romney for President and sends George Allen to the United States Senate, the chances of repealing this onerous overreach by the federal government increase exponentially.”

“The Supreme Court decision makes it clear that Obamacare is a great big onerous tax on the people of America,” noted Senate Republican Caucus Chairman Ryan T. McDougle, R-Hanover.  “Today’s actions by the Supreme Court make it clear that the only sure way to repeal Obamacare is to elect leaders who are committed to doing so.  It was important that Virginia vote for Mitt Romney and George Allen before today’s decision; now, it is imperative that we do so.  A Republican President and a Republican majority in the United States Senate – working with House Republicans led by Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-VA) - will provide the essential change we need to revitalize our national economy, restore liberty, and eliminate this crippling tax.”